Shinnyo-En Hawaii

The word “shinnyo” is reality, or the true nature of all things. It is the innate goodness, wisdom, and compassion inherently at the core of every living being. Shinnyo is the light that exists in all, without exception. Shinnyo also can be understood as external forces, vibrant and infinite, that compassionately lead us to moments of awakening – those serendipitous moments of feeling present and inspired. The word “en” depicts a garden. Founder of Shinnyo Buddhism, Master Shinjo Ito, removed the linear border that encapsulated the Chinese character “en,” wishing to convey that Shinnyo-en would be a “borderless garden” where anyone would be welcomed to train to bring out their best selves. To practice Shinnyo Buddhism means to not only reflect, meditate, and pray, but more importantly to awaken to and polish our innate goodness through offering ourselves in concrete ways to benefit others and our surrounding world.